Cults

On the recent topic about churches being blessed the subject of some churches being cults came up. So I have to ask, what do you all know about Mormons and JWs? My husband has a friend that has been visited by some Mormons and I'm shocked at the methods they seem to be employing to gain his trust. It is like false advertising.

Originally Posted by BamaGrits84

On the recent topic about churches being blessed the subject of some churches being cults came up. So I have to ask, what do you all know about Mormons and JWs? My husband has a friend that has been visited by some Mormons and I'm shocked at the methods they seem to be employing to gain his trust. It is like false advertising.

They are sneaky sure enough and I agree they are cults.

[Tyburn]

Originally Posted by BamaGrits84

On the recent topic about churches being blessed the subject of some churches being cults came up. So I have to ask, what do you all know about Mormons and JWs? My husband has a friend that has been visited by some Mormons and I'm shocked at the methods they seem to be employing to gain his trust. It is like false advertising.

Well...Mormonism is so large its basically a Sect...Cults are usually small, Sects are so large that by their size they endanger Denominations.

Scientology, Christ Scientists, Unitarians, JWs, Freemasonry and Mormonism can all be looked on as cults of Christianity....Freemasonry is a retracting Denomination...that is to say, it was considered Christian, and then it was recategorized as deist. Mormonism is going the opposite way...lots of people do not realize that Mormons are NOT a denomination of Christianity, and never had been.

There is only one good thing about Mormons...and that is their Tabernackle Choir Well they have to be good for something

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQMRHa_cn8s (A good example)

tough subject ... you are bound to offend someone ... i know the point of the thread isn't to offend, so here goes ... what do you consider a cult? obviously it's a group of people who have the same beliefs ... in some lights, LDS and JW are considered cults, but i am sure they would ... to me, something like the branch davidians were a typical cult ... mind control, a "doomsday" factor and a bizarre factor ... i am sure to athiests, all religions seem like a cult ... i also think scientolgists are a cult ... and with celeb power they are growing .. kinda scary actually ...

Originally Posted by rearnakedchoke

tough subject ... you are bound to offend someone ... i know the point of the thread isn't to offend, so here goes ... what do you consider a cult? obviously it's a group of people who have the same beliefs ... in some lights, LDS and JW are considered cults, but i am sure they would ... to me, something like the branch davidians were a typical cult ... mind control, a "doomsday" factor and a bizarre factor ... i am sure to athiests, all religions seem like a cult ... i also think scientolgists are a cult ... and with celeb power they are growing .. kinda scary actually ...

I consider a cult any group that distorts the truth of who Jesus Christ is and the authority He had/has. Under that principal I do consider LDS and JW cults.

[NateR]

Technically, going by the strict definition of a cult, the Jehovah's Witness and Mormons are too big and widespread to be cults. Something like the Westboro Baptist Church is a cult, because it's just one church. However, if it branches out to multiple churches in different locations (GOD forbid), then it will outgrow it's cult status.

[Bonnie]

Originally Posted by rearnakedchoke

tough subject ... you are bound to offend someone ... i know the point of the thread isn't to offend, so here goes ... what do you consider a cult? obviously it's a group of people who have the same beliefs ... in some lights, LDS and JW are considered cults, but i am sure they would ... to me, something like the branch davidians were a typical cult ... mind control, a "doomsday" factor and a bizarre factor ... i am sure to athiests, all religions seem like a cult ... i also think scientolgists are a cult ... and with celeb power they are growing .. kinda scary actually ...

I saw a program a few years ago about Scientology, but it was showing the non-celeb side, just plain folks who had been in it and what they experienced and it wasn't anything like what/how you hear some of the celeb scientologists rave about it. I have a feeling all their celeb status, power and money gets them the hearts and flowers serenity version/treatment.

[Tyburn]

Originally Posted by NateR

Technically, going by the strict definition of a cult, the Jehovah's Witness and Mormons are too big and widespread to be cults. Something like the Westboro Baptist Church is a cult, because it's just one church. However, if it branches out to multiple churches in different locations (GOD forbid), then it will outgrow it's cult status.

Hence why I used the word Sect to describe a large Cult

Originally Posted by Bonnie

I saw a program a few years ago about Scientology, but it was showing the non-celeb side, just plain folks who had been in it and what they experienced and it wasn't anything like what/how you hear some of the celeb scientologists rave about it. I have a feeling all their celeb status, power and money gets them the hearts and flowers serenity version/treatment.

The Church of Scientology is located in Clearwater Florida which is about 10-15 minutes from me.

They are nuts.

/Discussion.